Importance

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Abstract

A fluid heating system includes a thermal collector for vaporizing a refrigerant, a separator for removing any liquid component from the vapor component of the heated refrigerant, and a condenser for transferring heat from the refrigerant vapor to a fluid thereby returning the refrigerant to the liquid phase. Liquid refrigerant is returned from the condenser to the separator, and from the separator to the thermal collector. A pump or a compressor is used to force refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit. The pump or the compressor is actuated by solar energy which is received either from an array of photovoltaic cells or from a generator driven by a turbine which is in turn driven by refrigerant vapor flowing from the separator to the condenser. The thermal collector may be activated by solar energy, or by waste heat resulting from operation of an engine, a building, etc., or both.

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First Claim